1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical connectors, more particularly to optical connectors with protecting mechanism to prevent damage to fiber optic lens.
2. Description of Related Art
As USB 3.0 proposal was standardized by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) at the end of 2008. USB 3.0 connectors can support a high speed rate of up to at least 4.8 Gbps and can mate with USB 2.0 connectors to adapt an interim from USB 2.0 to USB 3.0. The USB 3.0 can transmit in a limited distance which does not efficiently meet requirement of data transmission speed for optical devices such as DVD, Blue-ray and HD DVD.
Optical fibers are widely used in fiber-optic communications, which permits transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data rates) than other forms of communications. Fibers are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with less loss, and they are also immune to electromagnetic interference. Therefore, engineers designed an optical connector which added an optical fiber module with fibers to the USB connectors for transmitting over longer distances and higher speed rate. The optical connector can meet requirement of data transmission speed for optical devices such as DVD, Blue-ray and HD DVD et al. The optical connector can also mate with a USB connector for having a wider application. The optical fiber module has a position post engaging with a hole of a corresponding optical plug for ensuring an exact connection between the optical connector and plug. However, we know a mi Micro-Card as disclosed in US Patent NO. 2009/0093136 is designed to have an USB plug at a front side thereof and can mate with an USB connector, so that when a mi Micro-Card is inserted into the optical connector, or an unmatchable plug is inserted into the optical connector overly, the optical fiber module will be hit and broken, it is inconvenient to the exact connection between the optical connector and plug.
Hence, an improved optical connector is desired to overcome the above problems.